These delicious, peanut butter haystacks are reminiscent of no-bake cookies! They are, in fact, no bake, low carb, and keto-friendly! Each cookie contains only 2.4 net carbs!
Ingredients
You only need four ingredients for these delicious peanut butter haystacks–butter, unsweetened peanut butter, unsweetened coconut flakes, and sweetener of choice! I used sucralose, but monk fruit and stevia would work just as well.
If you’re dairy-free, replace the butter with coconut oil. Make sure to use coconut oil that is solid at room temperature, as it and the peanut butter help solidify these cookies.
Red bud trees are in bloom, and it’s time to make Red Bud Jelly! Red Bud Jelly is a beautiful pink jelly with a sweet, light, almost-grape flavor. The hardest part of making Red Bud Jelly is carefully removing the blossoms from the stems. Once you have removed the blossoms, it’s a super easy, quick canning project! Check out my video below for a visual aid.
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I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!
Whether you’re low carb or just trying to incorporate more vegetables into your daily eating, you can’t go wrong with this cauliflower breakfast bowl! It’s low carb, high protein, and it is absolutely delicious!
The Cauliflower
Cauliflower has grown in popularity in past years. It’s low carb and takes on the flavor of whatever seasonings you use. That’s why it works as “rice” or, in this case, faux-tatoes.
You can use frozen chopped cauliflower for this cauliflower breakfast bowl recipe, but I really recommend using about half of a fresh head of cauliflower so the recipe isn’t soggy or mushy.
The Bacon
I used real bacon bits in this breakfast bowl, but you can swap those out for turkey bacon, sausage, or any other kind of meat you prefer! Just cook the meat first, then remove it from the pan, so you can cook your onion and cauliflower in the leftover fat in the pan.
This keto, low-carb-friendly Instant Pot chili with squash is delicious and super easy to make! You can make it in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. With only 12 net carbs per serving, this chili makes it easy to stay within your carb goals for the day!
Instant Pot Chili for the Entire Family
One thing I love about this recipe is that, if you’re keto and your spouse or children aren’t, you can separate portions and add beans to their portions for a more traditional chili! I love meals like this because I don’t have to prepare two different dishes for the same meal.
How to Customize
First, most winter squashes are delicious in this Instant Pot chili! Acorn squash, butternut squash, kabocha squash, and pumpkin are all excellent choices.
You can also customize the seasonings and meat that are in this chili! If you have a special chili spice blend, add that in place of the spices. For meat, use ground beef, turkey, or chicken. Textured vegetable protein is a great replacement for the meat if you’re vegan or vegetarian!
If you’re low carb, I would suggest serving this chili with avocado and cheese for some healthy fats.
This low carb, high protein lasagna recipe is a great option for those following keto or a low-carb diet! It’s super high in protein, contains healthy fats, and is customizable to your unique diet and palate!
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Lasagna Pasta
This recipe uses a combination of zucchini “lasagna” and green lentil lasagna pasta. Following this recipe exactly gives you 22 net carbs per serving. However, if you’re looking for an even lower carb option, swap out the layer of green lentil lasagna pasta for a layer of zucchini lasagna, and that will lower the net carbs to 15.5!
If you’re new to low carb, I really recommend using the green lentil pasta because it helps with the transition. It also adds protein and structure to the lasagna!
How to Customize
You can customize the vegetables, seasonings, and meat that are in this lasagna! For example, I love adding mushrooms, onions, and red pepper flakes. You can use ground beef, turkey, or chicken. The options are practically endless!
What Is Nutritional Yeast and Do I Need It?
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast. It’s a yellow powder that is dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, and sodium-free! It’s also high in protein, fiber, and Vitamins B1, B3, B9, and B12 (or niacin). This is important when you’re on a dairy-free diet because, in a typical American diet, much of our B12 comes from dairy. Because it replaces cheese in this lasagna, I do recommend using it–otherwise, you just have a vegetable casserole!
These delicious sourdough turnovers are easy to make and much better than store-bought! Because the filling is so versatile, this recipe is great for individuals on special diets, including sugar free, vegetarian, and even vegan–just make sure your crust is vegan.
Part of what makes this recipe so great is that the filling is your favorite jam, jelly, preserve, marmalade, or pie filling! It can be store-bought or prepared and canned at home by you! My family loves turnovers with my lower sugar orange marmalade, no sugar added blueberry jam, and apple pie filling or jam, but the possibilities and variations are truly endless.
Turnover Pie Crust
As I mention in my sourdough pie crust recipe, I prepare batches ahead of time and freeze them for a later use. Every Pi Day, which falls on March 14th every year, I set a prepared, frozen pie crust in the refrigerator to thaw so all I have to do is roll the dough out, add filling, and bake! Another reason I use sourdough pie crust is because sourdough has so many benefits, which you can read about here!
If you don’t have a sourdough starter or just don’t want to make pie crust, you can use pre-made pie crust or your favorite pie crust recipe.
This sourdough discard pie crust comes together quickly and stores well in the refrigerator and freezer! I like making a double (or triple!) batch and freezing it for later use.
If I’m being honest, I don’t love making pie crust. I don’t like the feel of butter, and I really don’t like cleaning greasy butter off of dishes. But that’s what makes this method so great! I save up my discard so I can make a large batch. Then, I can make a couple of pies without having to deal with the butter mess to make another pie crust!
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Vegetarian Option
To make this recipe vegetarian, simply use plant-based butter!
Cold Butter, Cold Discard, Cold Water
The secret to deliciously flakey pie crust is cold everything. This keeps the butter from melting, which is what makes the flakes!
As I said before, I don’t like the feel of butter, so I use my 8-cup capacity food processor to grate it! Just attach the shredder plate and you can quickly grate your butter–mess-free! This also helps keep your butter cold because it isn’t melting all over your hands while you’re trying to grate it.
Why Make Pie Crust for Pi Day?
Another reason I like making a large batch of pie crust is because March 14th is Pi Day. For some reason, I tend to forget until–you guessed it–March 14th, and then I don’t have time to make pies to share with friends and family. But now that I have pie crust in the freezer ready to use at any given moment, I just set it out that morning and it’s ready to bake and share later that day!
In case you don’t remember from math class, pi is a mathematical term that represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. This number is 3.14159, or 3.14 rounded!
Honestly, math has never been my strong suit and the only reason I know March 14th is Pi Day is because it’s an excuse to make (and eat) pie! Now, there are some pi enthusiasts (i.e., math nerds) who think pie should only be served on Pie Day, which is on January 23rd, and not on Pi Day, which is March 14th. But, in my opinion, every day is a good day to eat pie! And every day is a great day to spoil your friends and family with a yummy, homemade dessert!
Recommended Products
I highly recommend using pie crust shields. This crust browns (and then burns) particularly quickly if the edges aren’t protected. I put the pie crust shields on before baking and take them off when I have about 10-15 minutes left so the edges can brown slightly.
With Saint Patrick’s Day just five short days away, now is the time to start brining your corned beef! This recipe is requires just little early preparation and is cooked in the Instant Pot. It’s quick and easy and cleanup is a breeze, with all of the cooking being done in one single pot!
Why Make Your Own Corned Beef?
The decision to brine my own beef instead of buying it from the store came about once I did a deep dive into nitrates. Sodium Nitrate is a preserving agent used to prepare most corned beef that you can buy in the store. It’s also what gives corned beef that bright pink color. Studies show that consuming sodium nitrate may be linked to cancer (and another link), kidney abnormalities, heart disease, thyroid issues, and diabetes.
While some people prefer the pink color, I won’t miss it. And I don’t mind preparing a brining solution a few days in advance to avoid the potential risks of sodium nitrate!
It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day and that means cabbage will be going on sale at grocery stores! This is a great opportunity to purchase a couple of extra heads of cabbage and make sauerkraut! Homemade sauerkraut can be canned, but it can also store in your refrigerator for months. I prefer to store mine in the refrigerator if possible to avoid heating and potentially killing the naturally-occurring probiotics.
Why Make Homemade Sauerkraut?
Homemade sauerkraut differs from store-bought in three important ways:
Pasteurization/canning – most store-bought krauts are treated with heat to eliminate bacteria culture before being canned and are heated during the canning process. Both of which compromise the naturally-formed probiotics that make sauerkraut so good for you to begin with!
Pickled vs. fermented – another thing to watch out for in store-bought sauerkraut is sauerkraut that isn’t actually fermented but is pickled instead! The ingredients in a fermented sauerkraut should be cabbage, salt, and maybe water, but definitely no vinegar.
Because sauerkraut is so easy to make, you won’t go back to store-bought!
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What Do I Need to Make Sauerkraut?
You will need jars, lids, cabbage, salt, a tool to tamp the kraut down, and a weight that will fit into your jar(s).
Stainless Steel Sauerkraut Tamper – I love this tamper! It is stainless steel, so it won’t retain flavors or harmful bacteria and is dishwasher safe! You can also use a wooden spoon to tamp the kraut down, but I really recommend investing in a tamper.
Lids for wide-mouth jars – Standard, two-piece mason jar lids will work, but you will need to open your fermenting jars daily to “burp” the jar and allow the fermenting gases to escape. That’s why I like using lids designed for fermenting! I can truly set-and-forget because the lids will allow gases out without allowing contaminants in.
Weights for wide-mouth jars and weights for regular-mouth jars – If you’re packing your sauerkraut into a wide-mouth jar, you can use a clean, water-filled, quarter-pint jar to act as a weight. However, if you’re using a regular-mouth jar or if you’re going to be fermenting very often, I really recommend purchasing weights designed for fermenting. They’re so easy to use, easy to clean, and don’t require using a jar that you could be canning in!
Recipe Video
Instructions
Remove outer cabbage leaves, reserving a couple. Wash the reserved leaves and the cabbages well.
Chop 5 pounds of cabbage into chunks that will fit in your food processor chute.
Attached your shredding plate to your food processor and shred all 5 pounds of cabbage.
Add cabbage to large bowl.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of canning and pickling salt onto cabbage. NOTE: You can use any salt you have on hand–just make sure it isn’t iodized and doesn’t contain any anti-caking agents.
Massage the salt into the cabbage until the cabbage begins producing a liquid.
Let sit for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, pack cabbage into glass mason jar(s).
Using a pounder or tamper, tamp down the sauerkraut after a few handfuls to ensure it is well-packed and does not contain any air bubbles.
Fold the reserved cabbage leaf to about the size of the largest part of your jar and pack it on top of the shredded cabbage.
Place a weight on top of the cabbage leaf to keep it and the shredded cabbage under the brine. You may use a glass weight, like the one linked above, or fill a clean, quarter-pint jar with water to act as a weight.
Screw on a lid of your choice and let sit on a countertop for 7-10 days.
If you’re using a two-piece lid, unscrew the lid to “burp” your jar every day to ensure gases don’t build up. If you’re using a lid designed for fermenting, you can let your jar sit undisturbed.
After 7 days, remove the lid, weight, and cabbage leaf and taste your sauerkraut.
If the taste is to your liking, can according to the instructions in your canning book or on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website or store in your refrigerator.
If you prefer a more sour kraut, put the cabbage leaf and weight back in, put the lid on, and let sit out on your countertop another 7-10 days, tasting every 3-7 days until desired taste is reached.
When it comes storing food long-term, the best course of action is to store them in sealed Mylar bags! Dry goods that contain very little moisture can be successfully stored for up to 25-30 years or longer, including sugar, oats, white rice, dry beans, ground coffee, and wheat berries.
NOTE: If storing sugar, do NOT add an oxygen absorber. It will make the sugar extremely hard.
Long-Term Food Storage Materials
To store food long-term in Mylar bags, you need Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and an impulse sealer or another way to seal your Mylar bags. Some people report success using a hair straightener or a clothes iron.
When it comes to Mylar bags, you want quality! You can find cheap Mylar bags, but they are often thin or not durable enough to store food long-term. One of my favorite brands to purchase Mylar bags from is Wallaby. They often have discounts, bundle packs, and even free oxygen absorbers with purchase! I’m not sponsored by them nor do I receive anything in return for promoting the brand. I just love the products!
Help! My Mylar bag is full of air!
If you have a Mylar bag that you filled with dry goods, added an oxygen absorber, sealed, and it is still puffy, have no fear! This is completely normal!
Oxygen absorbers only absorb, you guessed, it, oxygen! And the air we breathe is only about 21% air. So your sealed Mylar bag may be completely free of oxygen but still contain air, and that’s okay. To prevent this, press as much air out as you can before sealing. Some people even go as far as to use a vacuum to suck out excess air!
Is it enough?
If you want to protect your food from pests, such as mice, it is a good idea to go the extra mile and store your sealed Mylar bags in food grade storage containers. Some people have reported mice chewing through even food grade containers, so, if you live in an area where mice are rampant, you may want to opt for a glass or metal option with a locking lid.
How many oxygen absorbers do I need to put in my Mylar bag?
The chart I use to help me determine how many oxygen absorbers are needed for any particular Mylar bag can be found at this link.
However, you can never add too many oxygen absorbers! It is always okay to err on the side of caution and add extra absorbers, as the recommendations on the list are intended for individuals at sea level altitude or lower.
How To Video
Instructions
First, ensure you have Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, a way to seal your Mylar bag, labels, and the dry goods you’re going to fill your Mylar bags with.
Fill your Mylar bag or bags with your dry goods. It’s a good idea to fill all of the bags you’re going to use in this step, as you’ll need to work quickly once you open your oxygen absorbers.
Write your labels and label your Mylar bags. Make sure to complete this step before sealing!
Working quickly, add suggested amount of oxygen absorbers to your Mylar bag(s). If using sealable Mylar bags, press any excess air out before sealing.
Using your heat-sealing mechanism, seal each Mylar bag.
Gently pull the top apart to ensure a good seal and to check for any gaps indicating that the Mylar bag did not completely seal.
If there is no seal or if you see any gaps, use your heat-sealing mechanism to seal the bag until no gaps remain.
Store sealed Mylar bags in a glass, metal, or food-grade container.
